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Report: Baton Rouge officers will not be charged in Alton Sterling’s death

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Updated: 1:26 AM EDT May 3, 2017

Report: Baton Rouge officers will not be charged in Alton Sterling’s death

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Updated: 1:26 AM EDT May 3, 2017

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WEBVTT HERE, MANY EMOTIONAL ANDSCREAMING.>> WHAT ARE YOU PREPARING FOR?YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARINGWHEN THEY WERE KILLING MYNEPHEW.YOU SHOULD HAVE PREPARED THEN TOTAKE CARE OF THIS.AUBRY: HAND IN HAND.FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF ALTONSTERLING SPEAKING OUT.BUT TONIGHT, VERA STERLING,ALTON'S AUNT, SAID THEIR FAMILYATTORNEY WAS INFORMED BY THE DOJTHAT A FINAL DECISION HAS NOTBEEN MAD>> IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR ANDWE ARE STILL SUFFERING LIKE ITHAPPENED YESTERDAY.AUBRY: LAST JULY, OFFICERSRESPONDED TO A CALL OF MANTHREATENING SOMEONE WITH A GUN.AUTHORITIES SAY ALTON STERLINGMATCHED THE DESCRIPTION.A STRUGGLE BETWEEN STERLING ANDOFFICERS BLANE SALAMONI ANDHOWIE LAKE BEGAN.DURING THE STRUGGLE, STERLINGWAS SHOT AND KILLED.POLICE SAY STERLING WAS BELIEVEDTO BE ARMED.THE OFFICERS WERE PLACED ONLEAVE.>> ALTON DID NOT DIE HERE FOR USTO JUST SUCK IT UP AND MOVE ON.I WILL NOT.AUBRY: REPRESENTATIVE CEDRICRICHMOND TOOK TO TWITTER SAYING,"FACT THAT @WASHINGTONPOSTCONFIRMS BUT THE FAMILY ANDSTATE OFFICIALS HAVEN'T BEENNOTIFIED IS AN INDICTMENT DOJ." >> US AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TOBOND. THESE ARE NOT DINNER TABLECONVERSATIONS, THESE ARE GETTINGUP OUT OF OUR SEATS AND SAYINGTHIS IS THE LAST ONE.AUBRY: PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT SAYTHEY PLAN TO PROTEST THEDECISION REPORTEDLY MADE BY THEDOJ, PEACEFULLY.>> THIS IS AN UNJUST SITUATION. ALTON STERLING DID NOT HAVE TODIE. WHERE IS MY MAYOR?>> WHERE IS THE GOVERNOR?THEY PROMISED MY FAMILY THEYWOULD LET US KNOW.WE HAVE NEVER GRIEVED.AUBRY: THE MAYOR DID PUT OUT ASTATEMENT VOICING FRUSTRATIONWITH THE REPORTED DECISION.WE SHOULD NOTE I SPOKE WITH AMAN IN MOMENT AGO, HE SAYS HE ISNOT SURPRISED BY THE DECISION.EARLIER YOU HEARD THE FAMILYASKING THAT THIS BE PEACEFULPROTESTING.BUT THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLESCREAMING AT THE MEDIA, BLOCKINGTRAFFIC, CURSING AT ONE ANOTHER.

Report: Baton Rouge officers will not be charged in Alton Sterling’s death

The newspaper published a story Tuesday that the Department of Justice will reveal the decision within the next 24 hours. The Post is attributing its report to four people it says are familiar with the case.

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Sterling's family has not been notified of the decision, the Post reported. It is customary for the DOJ to meet with relatives when a decision is made on a case.

The two officers are Blane Salamoni, a four-year veteran of the Baton Rouge Police Department, and Howie Lake II, a three-year veteran of the same force.

Sterling's shooting sparked protests in Baton Rouge and led the DOJ to open an investigation. Speculation surfaced this week that a decision in the case was imminent.

Neither U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions nor the DOJ have released a statement. Justin Bamberg, attorney for Sterling's family, issued a statement Tuesday:

"We are not aware of any decision the DOJ has made on the Sterling matter. They have not told us or let our client know. I can only hope they let the family know once they make a decision one way or the other."

U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond took to Twitter to address the Post's report."(The) fact that @washingtonpost confirms but the family & state officials haven't been notified is an indictment on DOJ," he tweeted

The shooting was reported outside the Triple S Food Mart at Fairfields Avenue and North Foster Drive. Baton Rouge police said someone called just after 12:30 a.m. that day to report a man threatening someone with a gun outside the store.

Sterling was selling CDs outside the store when two Baton Rouge officers arrived to investigate the 911 call. The encounter escalated when Sterling and the officers got into a fight that left him on the ground. He was shot while the officers were on top of him.

Protests began in the city after the cellphone video of the shooting was made public.

The protests grew in Baton Rouge and resulted in the arrests of several people.